Device and finishing of floors in a wooden house

The distinct charm of wooden homes comes from the way they combine age-old craftsmanship with natural warmth. The floor is one of the most important components of these homes since it not only establishes the overall comfort and aesthetic of the room, but also serves as its structural support. In order to guarantee longevity and a beautiful appearance, it is crucial to take the structure and finishing materials into account when designing a wooden house’s flooring.

In wooden homes, the floors are constructed with great attention to detail. The first step in the process is to choose the appropriate materials for the support system and subfloor, making sure that they can support the weight while preserving the inherent flexibility of wood. Additionally essential to avoiding long-term problems like warping or mold growth are proper insulation and moisture control.

The choice of flooring finish becomes crucial after the foundational work is finished. There are many options available, ranging from contemporary laminate to traditional hardwood, each with unique textures, colors, and maintenance needs. The finish helps to maintain the integrity of the floor for many years to come by protecting the wood from normal wear and tear in addition to enhancing its natural beauty.

Topic Device and finishing of floors in a wooden house
Subtopic Types of floor structures
Details Explains the different floor construction methods in wooden houses.
Subtopic Insulation materials
Details Describes the materials used for insulating floors in wooden houses.
Subtopic Floor finishes
Details Covers the various finishing options for wooden floors.
Subtopic Installation tips
Details Provides practical advice for floor installation in wooden houses.

First floor device

A wooden house’s foundation is made in such a way that concrete strapping is only added to the outside of the structure. A brick columnar foundation supports interior walls and partitions.

  • In this case, the foundation base is compacted soil, on top of which a sand cushion is laid. We will consider the option of installing a subfloor in a house that does not have a basement.
    When a spacious basement is planned in the house, the foundation design should be completely different.
  • And in our version, wooden beams with a cross-section of 150 * 150 mm, or, as they are otherwise called, logs, are laid on a concrete base. The step between them should be at least 0.8 meters.
    In the case where the distance between the outer walls exceeds four meters, there is a risk of sagging beams, and then their intermediate support is brick columns.
  • Next, cranial blocks are nailed to the lower side of the logs, on which boards or chipboard sheets, which will be the subfloor, will rest. The next stage is the installation of a waterproofing layer.

Take note! An antiseptic primer must be applied to the subfloor’s wooden components from all sides. This is required to keep the wood from deforming, getting wet, or drying out. The portions of the foundation that the beams rest on must also be processed.

  • It is most convenient to use any rolled material as a waterproofing layer. In addition to the well-known roofing material, there are many of their varieties: PVC membranes, waterproofing, bitumen-polymer films, polyisobutylene. Lay them overlapping, slightly bending up along the perimeter.
  • When the subfloor is carefully laid, it is time to install the insulation, which will fill the cells between the joists. The most inconvenient option in this case would be rolled insulation, because it would have to be cut.
    And this work is not only unnecessary, but also requires caution and protection of the person in contact with mineral wool.
  • It is much easier to use bulk materials: granulated penoizol or polystyrene foam. These same materials are also sold in the form of slabs, and their price is quite affordable even for the most modest budget.
    Any insulation after installation must be covered with a vapor barrier film, which will prevent condensation from accumulating on its surface.

  • To reduce the time of work, purchasing a film, and glue for it, you can purchase a modern insulation, the top layer of which already has the necessary coating. As a rule, this is a layer of foil.
    And such insulation must be laid with the foil layer inside the room.
  • The height of the beams and the thickness of the insulation must be calculated so that after installing all the layers, a small ventilation gap remains. It should be formed between the vapor barrier layer and the finished floorboards.
    The gap in the plank flooring should also be around the perimeter of the walls, it is necessary for the expansion of the wood.
  • By the way, if you do not plan to make a plank floor, but want the final floor finish in a wooden house to be tiled, instead of planks it is better to install magnesite or cement-bonded particle boards. They are an excellent base for any finishing coating, and in addition, they provide additional heat and sound insulation.

To prevent the tiles’ surface from absorbing moisture from the adhesive solution, it must also be primed before they are laid. If you choose to handle every aspect of the floor installation yourself, bear in mind that there are numerous subtleties to be aware of. Watch the video first as it will provide you with more information than any written instructions.

Floor on the interfloor overlap

A wooden house with two floors—or an attic—will have the upper room’s floor laid out somewhat differently. There are wooden floor beams instead of the floor slabs that we are accustomed to seeing in concrete homes. Thus:

  • The ceiling of the lower floor and the floor of the upper floor will be mounted on these beams. The photo below shows an approximate diagram of such a floor.

  • So: first, the ceiling of the first floor is done. The space between the beams is filled with slab heat-insulating material, the dimensions of which are selected so that its width is a centimeter or two greater than the step between the beams, and the thickness is slightly less than the height of the beam.
  • The lower edge of the insulation should be flush with the lower edge of the beam, and the ventilation gap will be in its upper part, under the floor of the upper floor. When the insulation fits tightly into the space between the beams, it does not fall out during installation.
  • It is fixed by stuffing a wooden lathing made of slats over the insulation. Don"t forget about the vapor barrier!
    Next, on this lathing, you can finish the ceiling with clapboard, plasterboard, any panels or make a suspended ceiling.
  • Now we move on to the floor of the upper floor. For further work, you will need to purchase a rubber-cork backing.
    First, cut strips from it along the width of the floor beams and fix them with glue. They will serve as a kind of shock absorber for chipboard boards, at least 15 mm thick, which will be nailed to the floor beams.
  • After installing the chipboard, the backing will need to be spread over the entire floor area, OSB boards or thick glued plywood will be mounted on top of it. This material is much more durable than chipboard and is not at all susceptible deformations.
    And you can also use cement-bonded particle boards, depending on the finishing floor covering.

The end product is a robust, multi-layered structure that can support the weight of both people and furniture. The subfloor installation can be completed concurrently with the wall construction. That is, the final coat—that is, once the house’s interior decoration is finished.

Finishing

Once upon a time, having a carpet or rug on the floor was considered a must for the house. Because the floor surface beneath it was essentially invisible, decorative coatings received no extra attention.

  • Now everything has changed: floor coverings are so diverse, practical and beautiful that it would never occur to anyone to hide such a floor under a carpet. It is not difficult to select materials for the interior decoration of a wooden house.
  • It is quite logical if the owner of such a home wants all the surfaces of the house to be made of wood, including the floor. In this case, there are three options: parquet, plank flooring and laminate, which we will tell you about.

Parquet flooring

With good reason, parquet flooring is thought to be the most sophisticated and respectable type of flooring because the planks are made entirely of natural wood. Several kinds of wood are used here, some of which are priceless, such as walnut, mahogany, ebony, rosewood, beech, and Karelian birch. Thus:

  • When installing the floor, you can alternate planks from different types of wood, lay them in different directions. But this should be done by specialists.
    Especially if the parquet boards have a pattern, and you need to assemble a panel from them. This is the so-called artistic parquet.

  • Such a floor can be made in the living room, lobby, office or dining room. But such a magnificent floor should not be on its own.
    Its color and pattern must be in harmony with the overall style of the interior and the materials used for its design.
  • And if you are already focusing on the floor surface, choosing a pattern like the one in the picture above, the interior decoration of the rooms of a wooden house should be more modest and not attract attention to itself. If you have followed the technology and the design of your floor is as shown in the previous chapter of our article, you have an ideal base for laying parquet.
  • Parquet boards are attached to this base with glue and additionally fixed with screws. Their competent installation guarantees more than twenty years of operation, especially since the top layer of wood can be updated from time to time by sanding.
    Parquet can be: both piece and set, and panel.
  • In order for the parquet to serve for a long time, it is necessary to maintain a temperature regime in the room from +18 to +22 degrees Celsius. In this case, the air humidity level should not exceed 60%, and be less than 40%, for which room steam humidifiers and split systems are used.

Applying a specific varnish to the parquet surface completes the finishing process. "Aluminum oxide" is one of the ingredients in parquet varnish, and it significantly lengthens the floor’s lifespan. The parquet will be less prone to abrasion the more varnish layers are added to its surface. As a result, it can have varnish coating applied in excess of ten times.

Parquet board

If you choose parquet board for your floor covering, some options for finishing the interior of a wooden house can look more harmonious. What is it?

  • This board, which is a type of parquet, is made of natural wood. But this is not a solid wood, as in the case of parquet, but a kind of three-layer structure, the top layer of which is veneered with valuable wood species, covered with varnish.

  • The appearance of such board has made the process much cheaper, because not every person can afford such a pleasure as parquet made of solid wood, and even valuable species.
  • And the bottom part of the parquet board is made of cheap raw materials. Its larger size, compared to piece parquet, and convenient locking fastening, allow you to lay the flooring in a short time.
    Moreover, you do not need to varnish such a board, and you will not have to sand it during operation either.

  • There are several types of parquet board: one-, two-, three- and four-strip. The latter are the cheapest option, since narrower strips of high-quality veneer are used for their front coating, and in fact – production waste.

A board like this is easy to install and fast to take apart, should the need arise. Larger rooms make it much easier to use parquet floors. This means that finishing a wooden house’s interior will not require as much time and effort as laying set parquet flooring.

It’s important to realize that the materials and techniques used in floor planning can have a big impact on durability and comfort in a wooden house. In addition to providing warmth and character, wooden floors are essential to the house’s overall structural integrity.

Starting with a strong foundation and making sure the subfloor is installed and insulated correctly are crucial. This establishes a solid foundation and aids in preserving constant interior temperatures. Whether you choose laminate, real wood, or another finish, each material has benefits and requirements for upkeep of its own.

Ultimately, the final details—sanding, staining, and sealing—are what preserve the wood’s beauty and shield it from damage. A well-designed floor can add visual appeal and long-lasting durability, making it a key component of your house.

When building and finishing a wooden house, it is important to consider both aesthetics and durability. While maintaining long-term stability, the right selection of materials and construction methods can bring out the wood’s inherent beauty. This post will walk you through the essential processes of installing a floor, from choosing the right materials to getting a perfect finish, enabling you to design a floor that enhances the allure of your wooden house.

Video on the topic

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Veronica Gerasimova

Interior designer, author of books on the design of residential premises. I will help you make your home not only functional, but also beautiful.

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